Fastener for burial-caskets



s (No Model.)

1 E. a; B. HOLMES.

FASTENBR FOR BURIALUASKBTS. No. 382,160. Patehted May 1. 1888,

Witnesses.

NiTnD STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FASTENER FOR BURIAL-CASKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,160, dated May 1, 1888.

Application filed April 20, 1887. Serial No. 235.460. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD HOLMES and BRITAIN HOLMES,citiZBnS of the United States, residing in Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in a Hinge for Burial- Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to produce a simple and convenient hinge for hinging a burial-casket lid or cover, so that it may be easily attached or detached and removed when required, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents a section through a por tion of the lid and side of a burial-casket; also a section through the two parts of a hinge in or about line A B, Fig. 4, showing the position of the several parts when the casket-lid is open. Fig. 2 is a similar section through the same portions, showing the position of the several parts composing the hinge when the lid of the casket is closed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of that part of the hinge which is secured to the lid of the casket. Fig. 4 is a top View of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a front and edge elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the lower part of the hinge, or that part which is attached to one of the sides of the casket, showing also the position of the upper part of the hinge when connected with it, as shown in Fig. 1, and viewed from underneath. Fig. 7 is a back edge view of the lower or that portion of the hinge which is attached to the upper edge of the side of the casket. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the complete hinge, the two parts being connected together, as shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 9 represents a detachedtop view of the lower portion of the hinge.

In said drawings, 1 represents a portion of i the lid of a casket, and 2 a portion of the side of the same. They are made of wood or any well-known suitable material.

The plate 3, forming the base of the upper part of the hinge, is shown as a fiat circular disk; but it may be of any other form desired without changing the nature of our invention. To this disk is rigidly secured, by riveting or in any well-known way, aprojecting catch, 4,

' provided with a forwardly-projecting portion,

5, having an angular side projecting piece, 6, and between the portion 5 and the base-plate 3 is an opening, 7. At the back of the catch 4 is a shoulder or projection, 8, the object of which will be explained hereinafter. This upper portion of the hinge is adapted to be secured,by screws or other well-known means,to the lid or cover of the casket, and is made of brass, iron, or other suitable material.

9 represents the lower portion of the hinge. It is provided with the long narrow opening 10, which extends partly across the plate 9, and terminates in the enlarged opening 11 on one side of it. (See Figs. 1, 6, 8, and 9.) This portion is also made of metal, or the same material that the upper portion of the hinge is made of.

Both the upper and lower portions of the hinge are provided with screw-holes 12, which holes may be placed at any suitable point on the plates, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or in Figs. 4., 6, and 8. The plate 9 is provided with a downwardly-projecting piece, 15, for giving it a more firm hold when secured in place.

It will be noticed that the upper parts, 5 and 6, of the catch 4 taper up to a point, or nearly so, so that when the lid of the casket is put on they readily find their way into the openings 10, and from thence into and through the openings 11.

In operating with this device (the hinge be ing attached to the lid 1 and side 2) all that is required is to place the cover or lid over the casket, so that the ends 5 of the projecting catches 4.- will rest on the upper edge of the side of the casket, on which the plates 9 are secured, and by moving the lid endwise until the catches 4 find the openings in the lower plates, and then crosswise of the casket in a direction toward the opening 11, the parts 5 and 6 will readily drop into the openings 10 and then through the opening 11, and by reversing the movement of the lid or cover until the parts 14. come against the parts 13 of the lower plates, 9, which act as pivots to the hinges. In this position the hinges may be opened into the position shown in Fig. 1, or turned down into the position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that when the hinges are closed the forward part, 14., and the shoulder 8 are made just the length of the openings through the lower hinge-plate, 9, and it is of the same width as the narrow opening 10, so that when closed, as in Fig. 2, the casket-lid is securely held from moving either sidewise or lengthwise, and when the lid is opened, as shown in Fig. 1, the side projecting piece, 6, will hold it from being drawn out. The lid may be easily taken off by shutting it partly down and then moving it forward until the portions 6 of the hinges are opposite the enlarged openings 11, when they may be readily withdrawn or entered into place.

We are aware that hook-catches in combination withslotted plates adapted to receive them and catches having side pieces have been used before as hinges for casket-lids and for other purposes. We, therefore, do not claim such broadly; but

EDWARD HOLMES. BRITAIN HOLMES.

Witnesses:

A. O. THAYER, JAMES SANGSTER. 

